Monday, January 16, 2017

Week 46: Keeping Optimistic!

This week has been absolutely nuts. And by nuts I mean nuts for me and pretty chill for everyone else. I have officially mastered the art of getting punted, which is not much to brag about. (Punted is when you go to an appointment and they are not there or are just leaving or whatever- the point is you go to teach a lesson but then cant.) Word has also spread that a ghost, or more commonly known a s a ‘white lady,’ has been sighted about town, who curses people on sight by proclaiming repentance. Or that is what seems to be the case. We’ve worked our tails off trying to find investigators but we either keep finding people who are visiting from far away areas, or it's ghost-town talaga. I think it's because it’s the beginning of the dry season so it's stupid hot again and mangoes are threatening to fall on your head in about another month or two. Eventually we will get back up to superseding our goals but for now we are experiencing a stretching moment, which funny enough is the meaning of Batac: Stretch.

The highlight of this week is yet to come. We received a referral from the institute teacher. Apparently a non member has been joining her RC friend in attending the institute classes! (Institute is a class on the four standard works: 1. Old and 2. New testament, 3. Doctrine and Covenants [modern revelations from living prophets from 1820-, mostly containing prophesies from Joseph Smith] And 4. The Book of Mormon. It's for those who have graduated from high school. High Schoolers have Seminary which is studying the same 4 works, but at an introductory level.) However we have yet to meet her so I really hope this upcoming week we will be able to do that!

Something I’ve noticed as I have had the opportunity to work with so many different people from so many diverse interpretations of life I’ve begun to see a common thread. People are dead scared of change. Some may be willing or seemingly enthusiastic about a change (an approaching birth, new job, new relationship you name it) but there will always be that fear of ‘If.’ I don’t like the word ‘if.’ It can be a challenge “If thou be the son of God save thyself.” as Satan tempted the Christ, or it can be a doubt, those ‘what if’s that kill the brave and mock the daring. I have people who yearn for change but are too scared to take that first step. Don’t ever let a simple ‘If’ hold you back. At times it's necessary to evaluate your choices and their consequences- good or bad- but once you have weighed the pros and cons then make your move. I'm not saying be impulsive (that is what the ‘checking out consequences’ thing is for) I'm saying be you. You can be true to yourself and true to the Savior at the same time. If you have a desire (marriage, education, new religion, or job) then don’t stand there wishing. Go and Do!

Sorry this is such a short letter, but not much really happened this week besides teaching lessons to people who are confused as to what a testimony is. So it's fun to begin anew with them.

Emotionally wise this week has been great, My mother has begun experimenting with Emotion Code (where they release emotions from a person and… idk how it works but it works.) She released a ton of ‘trapped emotions’ from me this week by proxy and since then I have had an incredibly happy week and have been feeling close to my old self again. Hopefully that will stay and the only thing that will change will be my acne- and that it will freaking go away.